March 30--Marques Bolden was being asked -- again -- about his college plans.
Bam Adebayo decided to pile on.
"Marques!" Adebayo yelled. "You going to Kentucky?"
Bolden, a 6-foot-10 center from DeSoto, Texas, is one of four boys players at this year's McDonald's All-American game who has yet to commit to a college. He will choose between Duke and Kentucky.
Adebayo, like most top-level players, chose his school between his junior and senior seasons. Others, like Bolden, like to take their time. Some, like the two All-Americans who committed prior to their junior seasons, prefer to get the decision out of the way early.
Josh Jackson, the consensus top player in the Class of 2016, is one of the All-Americans who has yet to decide on a school. For him, the a decision this important cannot be rushed.
"I want to be around people I can trust," said Jackson, a 6-foot-7 swingman from Napa, Calif., by way of Detroit who will choose between Arizona, Kansas and Michigan State. "I want to know the players and what they really care about, and that takes time."
It isn't rare for a few top-level players to wait until after the McDonald's All-American game to commit to college. In fact, eight of last year's players deferred their declarations until the spring.
This year, Jackson is joined in waiting by Terrance Ferguson of Dallas, ranked 15th in the class by 247Sports.com's composite ranking, 20th-ranked Bolden and 23rd-ranked Jarrett Allen of Austin, Texas.
Many play the waiting game until after the potential NBA players at their preferred colleges decide whether to enter the draft. Then, they can see how many roster spots are available at places like Kansas and Kentucky, which send multiple players to the pro ranks annually.
"It's a positive to commit late if you want to go to a big-time school," said Allen, who will decide between Kentucky, Texas and Houston. "Seeing who leaves and how you fit in the system is a big plus. ... The negative of committing late is everybody is still trying to get at you."
On the other end of the spectrum sits Lonzo Ball. The standout point guard from Chino Hills, Calif., ranked seventh in his class, committed to UCLA in Jan. 2014, in the middle of his sophomore season.
"I think it's better to commit early," Ball said, "because then you can work on your game and not worry about all the letters and different coaches that contact you. It's been pretty stress-free for me compared to some others."
Early commitments run in the Ball family. Lonzo's brother LiAngelo committed to UCLA last season as a sophomore, and LaMelo chose the Bruins before this season as a 13-year-old incoming freshman. The three led Chino Hills High School to a 35-0 record this season.
Kyle Guy, a guard from Indianapolis, chose Virginia in Oct. 2014, right before his junior season.
"Once you commit, it's a huge relief and takes away the stress," Guy said. "Some people here are undecided. For me, there's no pressure and I just can just go out and play in a tournament and don't have to impress anybody."
The norm of committing between junior and senior seasons was followed by 14 of the game's 20 committed players, with eight doing it in the fall before their senior season and six in the summer.
That period is likely to remain the favorite for most All-Americans. But some still feel the need to take the extra time to make the right decision.
"I just need more time to talk to my family and pray about it and see my options," Ferguson said. "Then I can make the best decision."
wlarkin@tribpub.com
McDonald's All-American games
When, where: Wednesday, United Center.
15th girls game: 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU).
39th boys game: 8 p.m. (ESPN).
